Representation in Academic Decision‐Making

Abstract

This study of academic decision‐making in a CAE indicates that there was very little attempt by academic staff to exercise influence on major committees other than through the formal decision‐making machinery. There was no evidence that formal channels were blocked and it is perhaps for this reason that staff did not use their association as an alternative. It seemed from the data that academics with elected representatives were dominated by an elite of non‐elected senior academics. This domination was based on what might be termed the process signs of power rather than the ability of the members of the elite to achieve their own objectives. On the major committee consisting largely of non‐elected representatives there seemed to be two competing elites with one dominant group exercising control through initiating structure rather than the more overt signs of processed power.

Notes

∗ Dr N. F. Dufty is Chairman, Division of the Arts, Education and Social Sciences at the Western Australian Institute of Technology.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

N. F. Dufty∗

∗ Dr N. F. Dufty is Chairman, Division of the Arts, Education and Social Sciences at the Western Australian Institute of Technology.